Coffee Stains
by xx - - - - - mistarr f u z z
Summary: A strangled sob escaped Light’s lips, as he brutally grabbed the pillow under his head and flung it at the space where L should have been sitting. Slightly LxLight, Light's thoughts after Ryuzaki's death. Oneshot. Rated for light language.


Light ran a hand through his tawny-brown hair as he finally passed through the door into headquarters, greeted by a comfortably familiar scene. The couches and tables were empty, as he'd expected them to be, signifying that everyone with a home to return to had returned home. The room was dark, aside from a soft blue light reflecting off of a computer screen in the center of a large, half-circle desk. In front of the illuminated screen, he could see a large, blush desk chair, - or rather, the _back_ of a large, plush desk chair, - which he could picture the front of in his mind's eye. There would be a raven-haired young adult sitting there, with his knees under his chin, and he'd most likely be enjoying a piece of cake, or dropping obscene amounts of sugar cubes into his coffee.

"Ryuzaki? Where is everyone?" The brunette asked, putting on a practiced mask of innocence. _L, you're so stupid,_ he thought triumphantly, allowing a smirk he knew the detective wouldn't notice. _You've been following me all along._

Light waited patiently for his rival's answer, but when he didn't receive it, walked forward and rested a hand on the back of the chair. "You know, Ryuzaki, it wouldn't hurt to-" He spun the chair around, and was met by an empty seat. There was nothing on the desk, and the screen was occupied only by the background image, - probably Matsuda, forgetting to turn it off again.

"Right." Light muttered, taking the mouse in his hand and going through the start menu, clicking 'Shut Down'. He reached under the desk, feeling around until he found a switch (Ryuzaki had all of the switches for the main room installed under the desk, so he had ultimate control), and pulled on it with his index finger, watching the lights flicker on.

Honey-colored eyes took one more glance around the empty room, before the teen allowed himself to sink into the chair, - Ryuzaki's chair, - and a grin to take his lips. "I won, L." He murmured, the statement accompanied by a few quiet chuckles, which soon escalated into maniacal laughter. Light screamed, _finally_ screamed, those words he'd so been wanting to say, opening his mouth as wide as he possibly could so he could listen to the words vibrate around the room, "I WIN, L! KIRA _WILL_ BE THE GOD OF A NEW WORLD!" He paused a moment to laugh again, a horrible, screeching laugh, before continuing. "AND EVERYONE IN THIS NEW WORLD WILL BE THE GOOD-HEARTED PEOPLE WHO I DEEM WORTHY! AND THERE IS _NO ONE_ LEFT TO STOP ME!"

He sat there for a long while, simply laughing, basking in his own success, before gradually calming, and closing his eyes halfway. He needed to sleep. He _deserved_ to sleep. He didn't need to work anymore, because there was no one left to stand in his way.

Slowly, he made his way up the stairs and into his bedroom, - rather, he room and Ryuzaki had shared during the investigation, - flopping onto the mattress and landing with a dull thud. Kicking his shoes off, Light raised his arms and rested them behind his head, crossing his legs at the knee and taking on what he considered to be his most comfortable position. It took him awhile to finally drift off, but as he did, the words "I won," fell from his lips.

* * *

A slight shift in the comforter aroused Light from his sleep, and he could already smell sugar-laden coffee, a light and amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Ryuzaki," he mumbled, pushing the blanket back slightly and moving to turn his head, "It wouldn't hurt for you to get some sleep." But, once again, his eyes greeted an empty space.

"Right."

But, then, why did he smell coffee? And… and maybe a hint of something chocolate? He reached across the unoccupied space, flicking on the light on the beside-table. There was nothing, of course. Then why…?

As Light lifted his head from the pillow, he noticed that the scent had disappeared. The brunette's eyes shifted back to where his head had just been, - and this time, he saw the coffee stain that he'd been too oblivious to see before, most likely leftover from L's last night alive. _But… what about the chocolate?_ He rose from the blankets, searching the room for several minutes, before setting sight on a small tray of half-eaten sweets, resting on the bureau. _Oh, yeah… Watari must've forgotten to pick them up that morning._ He'd become so accustomed to the tray sitting there in the corner, waiting for Ryuzaki, that he hadn't taken notice until then. And the shifting of the sheets was – the teen didn't know how he could've forgotten, - a fan in the ceiling that turned on ever few hours, to keep the building moderately cool.

He ran his fingers through his hair, slowly exhaling, before crawling back under the covers and turning the light off. The college student was careful not to lie on L's under-used pillow, instead, making himself comfortable on his own.

And, for some reason, the absence of such a familiar scent made it difficult.

Again, the brunette sighed, grasping the deceased detective's pillow and tossing it to the end of the bed. An ironic chuckle emitted from his throat. He could picture Ryuzaki sitting there beside him, turning his dark eyes away from a laptop screen and asking, _"Why does Light-kun feel inclined to throw my pillow across the room?"_ He'd be wearing that blissfully unaware expression, as always, while in reality, he'd know exactly what was going through the teen's mind.

Light shook his head violently to clear the thoughts, pulling the blankets closer and closing his eyes tightly. "I'm happy, because I've won. Kira won, and L lost." The words were less a statement, and more a reassurance. Yes. Ryuzaki lost. The detective's face popped into his head again, and he tried to smile at how easily the poor, naïve man had fallen.

Instead, a few tears slipped down his cheek.

And he could picture Ryuzaki, setting down his cup of coffee and chewing lightly on the end of his thumb, leaning closer to get a better look at the disgruntled boy. _"What's wrong, Light-kun?"_

A strangled sob escaped Light's lips, the result of an attempt to hide a much more obvious sound, as he brutally grabbed the pillow under his head and flung it at the space where L _should_ have been sitting, trying to get to the bottom of his distress.

"Dammit, Ryuzaki!" Light yelled at the empty spot, trying again to convince himself that he was merely lonely, unaccustomed to the lack of presence, that he _hated_ L, and always would, - just as he reached for the detective's pillow at the foot of the bed and pressed it against his face, burying his nose in the familiar scent.

He simply sat there for a few moments, clutching the pillow, with his knees held up against his chest. A few more muffled cries, before he pulled the coffee-scented pillow away from his tear-streaked face. Funny. He looked so defeated, even though he'd won. Red-rimmed eyes turned down to look at the pillow, before he pressed his face against it once more.

"I miss you." Light murmured, his lips brushing against the pillowcase, and the tears resuming their fall.

* * *

Ryuk had abandoned his post by Misa's side for the evening, eager to see how the events would play out after L's death. He was disappointed, however, as he usually was by such boring matters. It was all too predictable. Especially Light's break down.

"Kukuku." The shinigami chuckled, before a pair of raven wings exploded from between his shoulder blades, and he glided into the darkness.

"Humans are so... Predictable."

* * *

Author's Note :

Thanks for reading, guys! This would be my first fanfic, and I think it needs _a lot_ of work, so constructive critisism much appreciated :D

Yupyupz, thanks again for reading, R&R! Peace out!

- i P w n z z z


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